Split FTC Drops Opposition To Nielsen’s $1.26B Arbitron Buy

Law360, New York (February 28, 2014, 7:56 PM EST) -- The Federal Trade Commission has signed off on the $1.26 billion merger of Nielsen Holdings N.V. and Arbitron Inc., settling its charges that the deal would raise prices in the yet-be-established market for cross-platform audience measurement services, the FTC announced Friday.

The commission's 2-1 vote gave final approval to an agreement requiring the New York-based TV ratings provider to sell off and license certain Arbitron assets to an FTC-approved buyer, as a means of addressing the commission's concerns that the deal could grant the combined company...